Conventionally, sheet-like print media attached with RFID tags (Radio Frequency IDentifier tag: also called a radio identification tag, radio tag, or information holding medium) that can be exchanged via radio communications have been proposed, and their application examples are disclosed (for example, see Japanese Patent Laid-Open No. 2002-120475).
In an image forming apparatus, since there are many kinds of print media, and an image varies depending on the type of a print medium, a method of setting the image forming condition for each print process in correspondence with the type and thickness of a print medium, or detecting a print medium using a sensor for detecting the type and thickness of a print medium, setting an image processing condition according to the detection values, and forming an image is adopted. Also, a remaining quantity sensor can only recognize an approximate remaining quantity of print media in print medium storage means.
In an image forming apparatus, since an optimal fixing temperature and convey speed are set depending on the material and size of sheet media, the user must input and set information associated with these setups (see Japanese Patent Laid-Open No. 9-164593).
However, the sensor cannot often precisely detect information about a print medium depending on the type and thickness of the print medium, an environment, and the like, and it is consequently difficult to attain optimal image formation. Recently, it is demanded to form a still optimal image on a print medium.
When image formation is made on a wrong print medium in place of a desired print medium, it must be redone using that desired print medium, resulting in wasteful processes.
In manual setups by the user, some setups require user's knowledge about print media. When the user has made wrong setups, a print result cannot be obtained under an appropriate control condition. For example, when a sheet medium, which is set to have a standard thickness in the user setups but actually has a nonstandard thickness, is inserted and conveyed, it may cause troubles such as JAM or the like in a convey path.
Furthermore, when a continuous print process is executed for a bundle of sheets including different types of sheet media, independent user setups are conventionally required for image formation on respective sheet media. Hence, the productivity impairs considerably compared to image formation on uniform sheet media.